Working together to clean up fundraising mess

(Queen’s Park) GPO leader Mike Schreiner made the following statement after meeting with Government House Leader Yasir Naqvi on political fundraising reform:

“Eliminating corporate and union donations was a key plank in the GPO’s 2011 and 2014 platforms. We are glad to be so close to accomplishing this and other important reforms to finally get big money out of Ontario politics.

We know big money in politics is corrosive. It undermines the integrity of the democratic process and erodes public confidence in government.

Reforms are desperately needed to create a fair, transparent and democratic political fundraising system. This will help MPPs to make better, more objective decisions on behalf of the public.

I’m pleased that the Premier has incorporated most of the ideas I presented when we met on April 12. Even though I’m not happy with the process of drafting this legislation, I’m glad to see that these important reforms are moving forward.

Today, I presented Minister Naqvi the GPO’s top ten priorities for fundraising reform. Among our top priorities is a more democratic form of public financing through a per vote allowance.

I also challenged Minister Naqvi to reach all party consensus on standing orders for the committee looking at the legislation for fundraising reform.

Standing orders must be structured so that the Liberals cannot use their majority to impose their will on committee hearings. Neither the public nor the opposition parties will have confidence in fundraising reform if the government is perceived to be imposing new rules that may provide them an electoral advantage.

I look forward to working with all parties and the public to get big money out of politics.

I especially want to thank the members of the Queen’s Park gallery for their investigative journalism on this issue and the thousands of people who answered my call to send letters to the Premier. It’s this public pressure that has led to change.”